Ezra 4:5

4:5 They were hiring advisers to oppose them, so as to frustrate their plans, throughout the time ¹  of King Cyrus of Persia until the reign of King Darius ²  of Persia. ³ 

Ezra 10:3

10:3 Therefore let us enact ⁴  a covenant with our God to send away all these women and their offspring, in keeping with your counsel, my lord, ⁵  and that of those who respect ⁶  the commandments of our God. And let it be done according to the law.

Ezra 10:8

10:8 Everyone who did not come within three days would thereby forfeit all his property, in keeping with the counsel of the officials and the elders. Furthermore, he himself would be excluded from the assembly of the exiles.

[4:5]  ¹ tn Heb “all the days of.”

[4:5]  ² sn Darius ruled Persia ca. 522-486 B.C.

[4:5]  ³ sn The purpose of the opening verses of this chapter is to summarize why the Jews returning from the exile were unable to complete the rebuilding of the temple more quickly than they did. The delay was due not to disinterest on their part but to the repeated obstacles that had been placed in their path by determined foes.

[10:3]  ⁴ tn Heb “cut.”

[10:3]  ⁵ tn The MT vocalizes this word as a plural, which could be understood as a reference to God. But the context seems to suggest that a human lord is intended. The apparatus of BHS suggests repointing the word as a singular (“my lord”), but this is unnecessary. The plural (“my lords”) can be understood in an honorific sense even when a human being is in view. Most English versions regard this as a reference to Ezra, so the present translation supplies “your” before “counsel” to make this clear.

[10:3]  ⁶ tn Heb “who tremble at”; NAB, NIV “who fear.”